Propulsive amusement car or exerciser



Sheet 1 2 Sheets- H.' F. BARTLEY PROPULSIVE AMUSEMENT CAR OR EXERCISER Flled Aug 9, 1927 Nov 27, 1928.

Nov. 27, 1928. 1,692,803

H. F. BARTLEY- PROPULSIVE AMUSEMENT GAR OR EXERCISER Filed Aug. 9, 192*! 2 SheetsSheet 2 wrz Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES HAROLD F. BARTLEY OF YORK, N. Y.

PROPULSIVE AMUSEMENT CAR OR EXERCISER.

Application filed August 9, 1927. Serial No. 211,686

My invention relates to a propulsive vehicle of distinctly novel character, useful for amusement, and healthful exercise of children, or as an exercising appliance for persons of all ages, involving novel or unusual muscular activity.

The principal novel feature of the invention consists in the provision of means by which a lateral movement or oscillation is effective to produce forward propulsion of a car or vehicle.

To this end Iprovide in addition to a seat and supporting andsteering means such as a wheel,a transverse support or rocker, and in connection therewith, a plurality of ground-engaging devices which I call propellers, so arranged that when a transverse rocking motion is produced by exertion of'the user, the propellers act or react upon the ground (supporting surface) in such manner as to-propelthe vehicle in a longitudinal di rection, and ma straight or curved course un der control of the-steering wheel; although the steering function may be omitted without affecting the novel propulsion-mechanism.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further suflicientlyexplained in connection with the following detail description of the accompanying drawings, which show representative physical embodiments of the invention. After considering these examples, skilled persons will understandthat variations maybe made within the principles of the invention, and I'contemplate the employment of any structures that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a rear perspective of a car embodying the invention in one form, in operation.

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are fragmentary longitudinal sections, enlarged, showing different operative positions of one of the propellers.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the propelling mechanism, a portion of certain of the propeller supports being broken away to show otherwise concealed parts.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation.

Fig. 7 is a top plan.

Fig.8 is-a section similar to Figs. 2, 3, and i, but'showing a modified propeller structure.

The general structure of the vehicle may vary greatlywithout affecting the principal feature, namely, the propelling mechanism.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7, the vehicle or car comprises a top or. seat board -1 which atthe same time constitutes an upper frame member, a rear, vertical, transverse member 2 which Icall for convenience the propeller support, a longitudinal, diagonal, lower frame or bracing memherBj, and a steering head t-pivotally connected to the front end of the seat board and brace, specifical by a hinge structure 5, of any suitable. detail construction, as is indicated in Figures 6 and 7. The stated members, (except the hinge)- may desirably for-convenienceand economy, be of wood, although any. other suitable material may be-used'. The rear end of member 3 is connected to the propeller support 2, in any suitablemanner such as by screws orthe like, as is indicated in Figure 5, some distance below the upper portion thereof, to provide for triangular bracing and stiffness of the entire frame. The rearward porti0n'6'of the seat board is made wide and of sufficient length to provide a comfortable seat, andthe front portion 7 is relatively narrow, to provide leg room. The lower portion of: the steering head 4 is formedas a fork Sin which a front supporting and steering wheel 9' is mounted on an axle l0. In a part of the steering head above the fork is secured a-rod 11, the ends of which project at either side to form foot rests or steering bars. Handles or hand-grips are desirably provided at op posite sides of'the seat, and conveniently these may be formed in the seat board by. cutting slots 12 thereinand 'rounding offthe edgesof the portions 13 to provide comfortablehand grips. The modeof use is shown in Fig. 1', which shows a child sittingon the seat, with his feet on the steeringrests orbars. 11, and his hands grasping the hand-grips13; Delsirably the seat is located quite low, or near the ground, and conveniently this isiaccomplished by cutting away the central part. of the propeller supporting'board 2 andrlocating and securing the rear part: of the seatupon horizontal shoulders l lf'thereof.

The principal novel feature. of the invention isthe propelling mechanism, whichconsists essentially of. a. plurality of propellers arrangedin generally transverserelation to the longitudinal axisv ofthe ear and'pivotally connected thereto, and: also having curved lower, ground-engaging faces which are eccentric with respect to the points of articulated connection of the propellers to the car, and are so arranged that when the car or a portion thereof is moved in alternately-opposite lateral directions the propellers are brought successively into contact with the ground surface and are moved vertically with relation to the car; and by reaction against the ground propel the vehicle in a generally longitudinal direction, the exact course of movement being under control of the steering wheel.

The structural and operative principle involved in the invention is capable of embodiment in a number of different ways. For c2- ample, the propellers may serve also, as in the present specific embodiment, as the means for supporting the car or the rear portion thereof, and are therefore arranged in an arc and serve as a composite supporting rocker as well as successively acting propelling members. In another arrangement distinct supporting means may be provided and the propellers will then act only as propulsive elements. Some other modifications or alternative forms will be referred to hereafter, but it is impossible to fully describe all such variations, which are comprehended in the scope of the claims.

In the specific embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 7 the propelling devices or mechanism comprise a plurality of individual blocks or propellers 15, each of whichis pivotally connected to the propeller support 2; as a convenient pivot mounting I employ an arcuate pivot bar or rod 16. Such connection is provided by a curved metal strip 17 suitably secured by screws or the like, see Figure 5 to the lower face of the propeller support, such face and the strip 17 being arcuately curved. The ends ofthe metal strip are shaped and bent to form lugs 18 in which the ends of the pivot bar are secured in any convenient way, as by upsetting, and if necessary intermediate supporting lugs may be provided as at 18 as appears most clearly in Figure 5.

The propellers may conveniently be, as shown, of substantial thickness, and desirably consist of wood blocks. The pivotal mounting on bar 16 is conveniently provided merely by cutting holes in upper portions of the blocks, as at 19, these holes engaging about the pivot bar with slight clearance to allow for the slight curvature of the bar as it passes through each block. The blocks may be spaced slightly apart to provide free, independent movement, by washers 20.

,The contour of the propeller blocks as viewed in side elevation (Figs. 2, 3, 4,) may vary considerably. The specific form shown is satisfactory and sufficiently explains the principles of various practical forms of this device. When the propellers are in the position of Fig. 4 their forward faces 21 are vertical and located slightly in front of the pivot mounting. The rearward portion 22 of the block is of substantial length in order to provide for the proper propelling surface and also to provide suilicient weight at one side of the pivot to cause the block to drop by gravity to the position of Fig. 2 whenever it is elevated, away from the ground surface. The rearward lower face of the block is shaped to provide a curved propelling surface 23. This curve may be an arc, although it is not necessarily a true are or a regular curve. It is sufficient if this surface is developed from a center eccentric to the block pivot-center. One center from which the propelling surface may be developed is indicated at 0, and the radii of the surface 23 are indicated by dot and dash lines 7'. The center 0, it will be noted, is substantially distant from the pivot center 16, being in the present specific example substantially above and somewhat rearward of the pivot center. The term rearward is here used with reference to the direction of propulsion, which in this example is forward with reference to the car, or in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3. Any one of various centers or foci for the curve 23 may be selected without affecting the general principles of structure and operation. Means are provided to limit the pivotal movement of the blocks, such means consisting of a flange 30 formed on strip 17 and positioned to engage the forward faces of the blocks and limit their counter-clockwise movement as shown in Fig. 2. Movement of the blocks in the opposite direction may be limited by contact of their upper faces with strip 1.7, although a definite stop to limit this motion is not essential.

The propelling mechanism is actuated by alternatinglateral movement of the propeller support and specifically, in the present example, by side-wise rocking of the entire vehicle. In these movements the front portion of the car rocks upon the bottom of the steering wheel, and the rear portion rocks upon the under surfaces of the propeller blocks, which in this example are also the supporting members. Otherwise any rocking movement imparted to the propellers in the present general manner is sufficient to effect propulsion, without necessarily rocking the entire vehicle. For example, the propeller support may be independently mount ed for oscillation, and the adjacent portion of the vehicle will then. be independently supported, as by wheels. In the present example lateral oscillation is accomplished by the rider shifting his weight from side to side, usually by swinging the torso at the waist, the body being effectively braced for this purpose by grasping the hand grips and also by the location of the feet upon the steering supports, as clearly explained in Fig. 1.

In this rocking movement the propeller Hill s sam blocks are brought into action successively. At least one of the blocks such as 15?, Fig.- and usually two adjacent-blocks, are substantial in the position ofFig. 4L, acting assup- 5 ports without propelling effect. The next adjacent block, as Fig. 5-, isina position intermediate the positions of Figs. 3 and 41; the next block 15 is in the position of Fig. 3; the next block 15 is intermediate the polo sitions of Figs. 2 and 3; and all the other blocks, 15 etc, are in the posit-ion of=Fi.g. 2, the support at that point and from there on to the end of the arc, holding these blocks free from ground contact so that they drop l5 by gravity to their lowermost positions. \Vhen the car including the pivot support is rocked in either direction the blocks to the right or left of-15 Fig. 5, come into action successively to propel the vehicle. Thus'one of the blocks, as 15 which is in fully dropped position, engages the ground surface at the point I), Fig. 2, or at the rear end of its curved propelling surface 23. As the pivot center 16 moves down, surface 28 rolls upon the ground surface. The line f Fig. 2 indicates the line of force or reaction between the pivot center and the ground, this line being at an obtuse angle to the vertical, so that a suilicientpart of the vehicle weight 30 is exerted along the line f to insure proper frictional ground-contact witnout rearward slipping of the propeller and the angle is also such as to produce a substantial forward pressure or component of force upon the pivot center, which moves the vehicle for- -ward. As the pivot center further ap proaches the ground, the contact point of the propeller with the ground shifts by the rolling action of surface 23. Thus in Fig. 3 the ground contact is at the point d indicating substantial forward progress of the vehicle, while the force-line or propulsion component 7 is still at a proper angle to produce forward propulsion without rearward slipping of the propeller. Finally in the lowermost position of the pivot center 16, Fig. l, the propeller has completed its oscillation. The force line f is nearly vertical; the propeller acts temporarily only as a sup- 5() porting member without further propulsive effect; the next adjacent propeller is at this time substantially in the position of Fig. 3, and is still exerting a driving force; after the propeller reaches the position of l the further rocking of the car quickly lifts it, so that it has no retarding effect but merely drags lightly on the ground surface until it again reaches the position of Fig. 2, and then hangs suspended above ground contact as so shown at the right and left of Fig. 5. Thus by the continued alternating oscillation of the propeller support the vehicle is driven practically continuously forward, under direction-control of the steering wheel.

Fig. 8 shows a slight modification, in which the rearward port 1011150. of aapropcller block 51 is. relatively. shorter. than. in the other views, and a spring 52'is provided tomove the block connter-clockwise, or to its lowermost position, ready for a propulsive action. This movement of the block is limited in this instance by engagement of its shoulder 53 with the pivot-rod supporting strip 17. This figurealso illustrates another arrangementaor location of the propelling surface 23, which in this case is an arc struck from the center 0. Oneradius r from the center 0 is coincident with a radius fromthe pivot center 16; but the other radius r' does'not intersect the pivot center; in other words the center 0 is substantially removed from thepivot center, thus producing the curved driving surface 23? which at all times. in the range of movement of the block exerts a. propelling effect in the direction of thearrow. Many other variations may be made in structure and arrangement of the propelling members and their ground-contact surfaces.

I claim:

1. A propulsive vehicle or exerciser, comprising a body capable of lateral movement in alternately-opposite directions, and a plurality of propelling devices having articulated connection to the body and arranged for successive ground-contact and thereupon effective to propel the vehicle longitudinally.

2. In a vehicle or exerciser, a body, a seat, a propeller support, and a series of propellers in generally-transverse, arcuate arrangement and pivotally connected to said support.

3. The same as claim 2, with the addition that: the propellers have substantially-arcuate bottom surfaces located rearward of the pivot points.

4.-. The same as claim 2 with the following addition: and means limiting the pivotal movement of the propellers.

5. The same as claim 1 with the addition of: and a supporting and steering wheel.

6. In a propulsive vehicle or exerciser, a frame, a seat thereon, a transverse rockersupport near one end of the frame, means associated therewith for propelling the vehicle longitudinally and actuated by rocking motion, and body-bracing means at opposite sides of the seat for stabilization ofthe operator in relation to the vehicle, in its propulsion by lateral body movements.-

7. The same as claim 6 with the addition of: and a ground-engaging support near the other end of the frame.

8. The same as claim 6 with the addition of: and a dirigible steering and supporting wheel near one end of the frame.

9. A vehicle or exerciser comprising a seat, a transverse propeller support near one end of the vehicle, a series of articulated propellers on said support having lower cam-faces and acting by ground-engagement, verticalpivotal movement and reaction upon the vehicle through said support to propel the vehicle longitudinally when said support is oscillated laterally, a pivotal wheel-support near the other end of the vehicle, and a supporting and steering wheel revolubly mounted in said Wheel support.

10. The same as claim 9 With the addition of: and members laterally projecting from said wheel support for engagement by bodymembers of the operator to effect steering control.

11. The same as claim 9 With the addition of: and grips at opposite sides of the seat for engagement by body-members of the operator, whereby his body is braced in relation to the vehicle. 7

12. Propulsion mechanism for purposes described, comprisin a support and a series of adjacent propelling blocks independently pivoted thereon, arranged in an arc and to swing in planes radiating from the center of the are.

13. The same as claim 12 with the additio of: the blocks having curved bottom-surface-portions.

14. The same as claim 12 with the addition of: the blocks having curved bottom faces oifset with relation to the pivot centers.

15. In a vehicle or exerciser, a body, a seat, a series of propellers and means for pivotally mounting said propellers transversely of said body and arcuately relative to the ground, whereby one or more of said propellers are at all times in contact With the ground and upon oscillation of said body successive propellers exert a propulsive effeet by such ground engagement.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this 30th day of July, 1927.

HAROLD F. BARTLEY. 

